Staff Matters 278

Staff Matters October 8, 2020 Issue 278 Week 15

CARING ABOUT OUR STAFF AFFORD’S NEW WEBSITE LAUNCH We are excited to announce the launch of Afford’s new website! Six months of hard work has all paid off as we proudly showcase our new streamlined digital platform, which includes so many new unique features.

The new website is more in line with Afford’s branding and embodies our look and feel. Featuring more accessibility options, users have more choice when accessing the website and can customise how it will look for them when scrolling through our services and blogs. Accessibility Tools are available in the right-hand corner and include options such as: • Increase text size • Decrease text size

In This Issue 1

Afford’s New Website Launch Trivia Swag Selfie

2

• Grayscale

Afford’s First Expo in Western Australia!

Staff Profile

• High contrast • Negative contrast • Light background

3

Reminder

• Links underlines • Readable font In the bottom left corner, you can find a blue button, ‘Translate’, this is a speedy and straightforward way for our clients and carers to translate our website into any language they need. The website overall is easier to navigate and includes other new exciting features which allow the user to do more things on our website, such as:

Gregory Hills Day Program – Now Open!

4

How To: Nominate Customer Service Awards Handyman Timetable Selfies Of The Week Upcoming Events Trivia Answer

• Ability to purchase raffle tickets directly through the website • Options to share compliments, complaints and feedback • Extra staff featured on the website, includes more management levels at Afford • Fresh, bright and feel good look Check out our new website for yourself, head to www.afford.com.au.

www.afford.com.au

Staff Matters

STAFF PROFILE NAME: Tainui Ratahi POSITION: Lifestyle Assistant LOCATION: Ipswich QLD FAVOURITE MUSIC/SONG Word by The Walls Group FAVOURITE MOVIE? Malibu's Most Wanted FAVOURITE HOBBIES? Dancing and photography FAVOURITE FOODS? Pasta and mango IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? Jaguar WHAT IS YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Switzerland or Greenland IF YOU HAD THE POWER, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD? I'm not sure IF YOU HAD TO TEACH SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD YOU TEACH? Dancing SOMETHING NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT ME? Nothing

October 8, 2020

Issue 278

AFFORD’S FIRST EXPO IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA! Afford's Perth team were run off their feet at our very first expo in WA, the Live Your Potential - NDIS Expo 2020. Held at the Herb Graham Recreation Centre in the city of Stirling, it was the perfect opportunity for our team to establish Afford's name in the market.

The team included Executive Manager, Client Services QLD, Allan Sio, Speech Pathologist, Isabella D'Annuzio, National Accommodation Advisor, Cara Dempsey and Team Leader, Amy Pritchard.

Everyone was proud to receive an influx of interest from visitors to our stand, with many excited and impressed with our display and colourful array of Afford merchandise. We also had people approach us from other disability organisations who were interested in working for us!

The expo had a variety of activities for the young and the young at heart, including Wheelchair Rugby and WA Para's Football skills and drills to name just a few. It was an essential expo for Afford to attend.

Isabella has received five referrals from the expo and is already starting to see some traction building with more enquiries coming through. Amy also met with two clients following the expo and is keeping their leads warm, waiting for our sites to open.

Being a new, fresh disability organisation to enter the Perth market, this was our chance to showcase the range of whole-oflife supports available to individuals living in Western Australia.

Well done Perth team!

www.afford.com.au

October 8, 2020

Staff Matters

Issue 278

GREGORY HILLS DAY PROGRAM – NOW OPEN! We are so excited to announce the longanticipated opening of Gregory Hills Day Program! This incredible site is the new spot to be for our Oran Park clients as they relocate to the new space. With colour sprinkled across every corner, games and activities to engage and delight, this is one day program like no other!

The site features vast spaces for genuine social connections and a sensory room with all the latest technological inclusions. Colourful oversized hand-shaped chairs welcome individuals to sit and relax while talking with friends. Other great features include a foosball table, checkerboard floor space, massage chair, TV and more!

You could see the excitement of the new site on the faces of clients transitioning from Oran Park Day Program into their new space at Gregory Hills as soon as they walked through the door.

The bright Afford styled neon logo catches your eye as soon as you enter through the front doors. It sets the scene for an array of things to do and see across the site.

An important addition for the Gregory Hills site is ample locker space for individuals to develop their independent living skills. The lockers give them a place to store their things for the day and be responsible for looking after them.

The fully equipped kitchen is ideal for budding MasterChef’s who love to try new recipes and learn new culinary skills.

The sensory room has been specially designed by an Afford Occupational Therapist to ensure that sensory supports cater to the needs of clients of all abilities. Complete with a ball pit, sensory iWall and suitable lighting, clients can play games together, or take some time out for themselves.

The large spaces of the site meant that staff could include a checkerboard dance floor for everyone to showcase their groovy moves. The dining and lounge areas provide masses of space for safe social gatherings.

Shout out to Team Leader, Antoinette Imbruglia and everyone involved, for creating such an amazing space for our clients. Well done!

Reminder!

Staff, please be reminded about the importance of wearing masks: • Please note that all New South Wales and Victorian staff need to wear masks while working – inside and outside. Afford masks are available now, if you have any doubts or issues with stock, please discuss with your Team Leader or Manager.

Staff, please be reminded about the importance of how to contact IT for support: • For IT support, please email your request to this address: helpdesk@afford.com.au

www.afford.com.au

October 8, 2020

Staff Matters

Issue 278

HOW TO: NOMINATE CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARDS It’s important when you have a co-worker who shines bright that we take a moment to recognise their efforts. For the staff member you nominate, this could make all the difference in the world to how they perceive themselves in the workplace and may make their entire day.

At Afford, we foster a team tribe environment, where we treat our co-workers how we want to be treated. For most of us, we see our co-workers as our Afford family.

We spend on average 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime, so it’s safe to say, the people you work with can make a huge impact on your job and quality of life.

Customer Service Awards are awarded monthly and emails encouraging staff to send in their nominations are sent throughout the month from Training Officer, Taryn Upton. It’s so easy to nominate someone for an award using the nomination form, simply complete the sections including the staff members name, site location and reason for nomination.

Remember a staff member does not need to work at your site for them to be nominated. For example, if you attended an event or visited another site and had a significant interaction with a staff member who you believe deserves to be recognised for how they assisted you, then don’t hesitate! You do not need permission to nominate a co-worker for an award and you can always speak with your Team Leader or District Manager if you are unsure.

With the new month here, now is the time to get in your nominations for October!

P EM

OF

LOYER

CHOICE

Send your nominations to taryn.upton@afford.com.au.

Handyman Timetable

Meet Our Handyman Tahier

Our Handy Man, Tahier, will be at the following sites this week: - Monday 12th October: Lakemba & Guildford - Tuesday 13th October: Woodbine & Ingleburn - Wednesday 14th October: Rouse Hill, Kings Park & Blacktown - Thursday 15th October:

Belmore & Bexley

- Friday 16th October:

Weekly Catch Up & Urgent Requests

SELFIES OF THE WEEK

am indsor Day Progr Selfie Above: W a th wi en Marsd buzz night at the ery! tour of the brew private room and

Pawsome Se lfie Above: Supported Accommod Penrith atio Andrew, lead ing a horse n Resident Cherrywoo d Friendship at our Farm.

UPCOMING EVENTS DATE:

EVENT:

1 - 31 October

National Mental Health Month

11 - 17 October

National Carers Week

18 - 24 October

Invisible Disabilities Week

31 October

Annual Staff Awards Gala

A: A parking lot or garage.

www.afford.com.au